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Wraith Claws
The Wraith Claws are a notorious Chaos Warband that were former members of the Shattered Star Space Marine Chapter that was created during the lamentable 21st 'Cursed' Founding. Sometime during the first few centuries of their existence, the lamentable event known as 'The Shattering' occurred, which resulted in the loss of half of the Chapter's battle-brothers. While enroute to answer a distress signal for an Imperial world besieged by Orks, the Chapter entered the warp while a warp storm emerged. This caused half of the fleet to be lost in the warp. When they emerged from their ordeal, they were wholly transformed into willing followers of the Dark Gods. Warband History The origins of the Wraith Claws Chaos Warband harkens back to early centuries of the 36th Millennium. The original Wraith Claw members were from the Shattered Star, a notable 21st Founding Chapter created during the so-called 'Cursed' Founding. The Chapters of this Founding were dogged with unexpected idiosyncrasies that caused many of them to be persecuted by the Inquisition or ostracised by their fellow Adeptus Astartes Chapters. Others, were dogged by ill-omens or bad luck. The latter, seems to be the case of what occured to the Shattered Star mere centuries later following their inception, when they would suffer their most lamentable event in their Chapter's history. While answering a routine distress call to aid a beleaguered world that was besieged by an Ork WAAAGH!, the Shattered Star were becalmed in a massive warp storm that erupted without warning, just as they entered the Warp. Though half the Chapter managed to escape their dire fate, the other half was not so fortunate. Those battle-brothers unlucky enough to be trapped in the Warp were imprisoned within their own organic sacks and were exposed to mind breaking pain. After what seemed like aeons, these unfortunate souls were broken by the time they emerged back into Realpsace centuries later. When they re-emerged, these lost and damned battle-brothers charted a course to the Eye of Terror to engage with their new masters. While they were in the Eye they absorbed numerous warbands swelling up their numbers to over three chapters in number. Notable Campaigns *'Raid of Crabre (Unknown M37):' Sometime in M37, the vital Imperial mining world of Crabre was set upon by the vile and infamous Chaos warband known as the Wraith Claws. They struck without warning, intent on plundering the planet for both resources and potential slaves. Imperial forces, including the Adeptus Arbites and local Planetary Defence Forces, were crushed by the relentless onslaught of these vicious Heretic Astartes and their daemonic allies. The citizens of the doomed planet were rounded up and corralled into the slave holds of the warband's dank and darkened holds. Those who resisted were massacred, their scattered bones left bleaching in the sun of the empty cities and Imperial complexes. Once they had acquired what they had come for the warband withdrew to orbit, and in one final act of spite, the warband fleet launched an orbital bombardment that utterly decimated any remaining hold outs that were holed up underground or in the mining facilities of the doomed world. *'Culling of New Blood (Unknown M38):' After the absorption of over a dozen Chaos Warbands, factions within the Wraith Claws erupts and the whole of the warband plunges into all out civil war for control. The splinter factions of warbands fight for control on who was strongest and would lead. After a full day of vicious fighting in what would become known as the infamous Culling of New Blood. As night took over, screams of the dying filled the air. By the next morning, the remaining Wraith Claws that had survived the night knew that the weak within their own ranks had now been purged. They would now go on as a much more powerful warband. *'Ambush in the Afil System (Unknown Date):' *'Migration into the Eye (Unknown M38): '''The world of Zebrastel was highly populated hive world. After the governor died by accidental means a mysterious group calling themselves the Curtained Lords ruled the world, during their reign there was a huge push for colonizing unclaimed worlds within the Imperium, after an unknown time of building ships and funneling the local population into them the ships set off into the void. The day that the ships left Zebrastel caused the ground to shake, after countless ships left the planet they stopped to pickup more people at neighboring planets causing extreme overpopulation within the cramped vessels. Only when the vessel were over maximum capacity the massive fleet headed to the Eye of Terror. The Curtained Lords revealed themselves as members of the Wraith Claws and with their task was completed the remaining Curtained Lords abandoned Zebrastel causing the planet's descent in madness and anarchy. The Wraith Claws had a huge increase in slaves and sold the rest to the denizens of the Eye of Terror. *The Raid of Arlif (Unknown Date): Within the Eye of Terror the Revenant Blades led by Ura Lor'tis raided the corrupted world of Arlif for its promethium refineries with in the Secaxthis Sub-Sector. The Wraith Claws couldn't let this insult stand and so sent their experienced veterans to deal with the issue, An instense void battle commenced with the ships the Valor and the Purest Damnation assaulted the Revenant Blades vessel the Vengeance Hold. After countless hours of battle the Revenant Blades evacuated their ship and made mass planetfall, With the advantage the Wraiths sieged their fortifications and stalked the Revenant's corridors and battled in cramped hallways. After three days of Fighting the surviving Wraiths collected the death and salvaged all of the Revenant Blades wargear and made their haul back to the Bladed Chalice. Warband's Headquarters The Warband's headquarters is a continent sized Space Hulk known as the ''Bladed Chalice, luckily the corrupted half of the Shattered Star founded the Hulk on the fringes of the Eye of Terror. When the decimated forces of the corrupted Shattered Star forces now renaming themselves the Wraith Claws. When cultists first entered the Space Hulk they were immediately assaulted by Mutants, these creatures were so mutated that barely anything human was long since disappeared. It wasn't until the Wraith Claws took to the field and cut down these mutants, when the warband cleansed the space hulk and enslaved the rest of this "Feral Mutants". When the warband decided to explore their new home they found that the Space Hulk was littered with valuables for the Astartes. What they found was many astartes vessels have been fused into the Hulk and within those vessels was wargear and gene-seed. The Bladed Chalice is a labyrinth where one could be lost after traveling for just a few minutes, not only are the risks of being lost but the dangers that lurk in the shadows. Because of the Labyrinthine structure of the Space Hulk the Wraith Claws have carved out only a few areas of the Hulk have been fully explored. Now since the companies have become independent from each other and formed their own headquarters in more unexplored areas of the hulk. Since each company has their own areas in the Space Hulk the warband use Thunder Hawks and similar transports to travel between headquarters for traveling on foot takes too long and you risk losing yourself in the endless maze of the hulk. The only group that can safely navigate the space hulk are members of the Hunting Fangs, are they are able to is unknown some theories are daemons guiding them to their own animal instincts taking over. After numerous raids and razing of numerous Imperial Worlds many slaves have set up numerous settlements scattered around the space hulk. Depending on how close the settlement is to one of the headquarters will depend on their religious beliefs, there are a few rumors claiming that there are still mortals that cling to the belief of the Emperor. Occasionally Settlement wars emerge throughout the years for territory, resources, or to settle their religious beliefs. Warband Beliefs Warband Recruitment Warband Gene-Seed Originally the warband consisted of exclusively Shattered Star battle-brothers, but over time the warband became diverse in terms of having warriors from numerous Traitor Legions and various Renegade Chapters and Chaos Warbands within the ranks of the Wraith Claws. Since the warband has been to exposed to the warp time and time again many within their ranks have mutated gene-seed, while a few have developed redundant gene-seed. In the current millennium the gene-seed of the warband is from numerous legions and chapters including: the members from the first founding and warriors Wretched Blades, Void Spears, Warriors Pristine, Bloody Fangs, and many smaller numbers of renegade Astartes. Warband Organisation The Warband is comprised of five companies which originally were the five missing companies belonging to the Shattered Stars chapter. The 3rd Company is currently by the Warbands' leader Lord Nethiel which became a company of undivided while the other companies began to worship an individual god. The 3rd Company is considered the head of the Warband as this company has the most suits of the rare terminator armour as well as the small but dangerous group of possessed called the Hunting Fangs. Each company is fiercely independent from each other with each company being responsible for their own creation and recruitment of astartes. Rival companies are separated to avoid as much infighting as possible. Where the companies don't have territory human settlements have sprung up all over the Space Hulk with numerous mutants and standard humans constantly fighting between each other. other reasons for fighting could be inter clan rivalry or religious difference. The 4th Company is comprised of those warriors who have pledge themselves to the blood god Khorne. While their leader Reylenor does not worship any god he keeps his subordinates satiated until he can unleash them on an imperial world or xenos forces. the section of Space Hulk the 4th Company is said to have fountains of blood that forms large rivers that channel into a large arena where slaves and astartes fight and bleed constantly in glory to Khorne. Like most of the other companies the 4th company is comprised of not just Shattered Star brethren, during numerous raids in the Eye of Terror and having Reylenor challenge the chaos lords of many Khornate warbands for the title of leading the warband. When Reylenor killed their lords he controls the warband and absorbs it into his company. Reylenor hates the chaos gods, but his khornate followers have given him the title of "Blood Son" a title he hates. The 5th (Nurgle) The 8th (Slaanesh) The 9thCompany - Over the years the current captain Xarsis has collected powerful psykers both human and astartes as well as uncountable mutants known as Tzaangors. Many of these psykers come from the Thousand Sons legion, with these sorcerers many Rubricae are under their command. Within the company Captain Xarsis has small group of the warband's most powerful psykers called the Dust Circle. ''Each member of the Dust Circle with the exception of the few Hunting Fangs commands a small number of weaker sorcerors and under their command are legions of Rubricae marines making them a formidable company. Unique Ranks: *'The Hunting Fangs': The Hunting Fangs were originally called ''The Enlightened. These select few within the warband are those made pacts with daemons, unlike the regular possessed seen in many warbands the Hunting Fangs work with their daemonic parasites similar to a symbiotic relationship. Each Fang works with rather than against their daemon parasites and vice-versa. These Fangs are larger, stronger, and faster than their possessed cousins. The Hunting Fangs follow more of a primal pack based structure where they have loyalties to the leader. If two Fangs have a rivalry with each other and one become the Lord Hunter that rivalry would immediately end. The Hunting Fangs have become fiercely independent from the warband and even becoming more autonomous compared to the rest of the companies, their only loyalties outside of the warband is Captain Nethiel, while the remaining captains are seen as potential enemies. While most of the Hunting Fangs are chaos undivided there are a few exceptions with many of these exceptions coming from Khornate or Slaaneshi worshippers. Within the Bladed Chalice the Fangs have isolated themselves in the deepest darkest depths of the Space Hulk, only really appearing when raiding worlds or defending the Space Hulk. To become a Hunting Fang one must make a pact with a certain group of daemon, this group can come from any alignment, when a pact is successful the daemon fuses with the host and begins to undergo the Hunting Virus, at the beginning intense headaches occur, then the body begins to overheat that sends the host into a coma, when this happens a member of the Fangs will immediately sense a potential kin and will travel to the location of the host to then carry him back to their "home". There the host's body will go into overdrive as the body breaks apart and rebuilds itself, this process is extremely painful and will most likely kill the host numerous times forcing the apothecary to revive him time and time again. When the body is rebuilding itself it will begin to mutate to be better suited for combat, this can range from hardened skin, barbed tentacles, sharp claws made from bone or metal, hooved feet, spiky protrusions, their personal war-gear being fused into their body,and many more mutations. A few deals have been made with the rest of the Warband such as sending a percentage of slaves into their territory, either to them slaves again or to have a "hunt". These hunts are when the Hunting Fangs hunt down a certain number of slaves to take them back to their hub to cook and eat them in a grand feast in honor of the gods. The behavior of the Fangs are more animalistic such as cawing, barking, heavy panting, and roaring, members of the Hunting Fangs claim that acting more like a beast feels right despite having their intelligence especially working in a pack based structure with a Alpha Fang. Many within the warband request working away from the Fangs when they are assaulting the enemy as Fangs tend to forget who is friend or foe outside of their group. It is unknown how many of these Fangs there are in the but best estimates are upward of 200-250. * Havoc Fangs:'Like their names suggest the Havoc Fangs are the heavy unit specialists with the Hunting Fangs. Members of the Havoc Fangs sprouted mutations that are different from the regular Hunting Fangs. Their mutations can range from individuals having one of their arms fusing with a plasma cannon, heavy bolter, and many more. While those who become a Havoc Fang is rare they are a welcomed specialist within the group. * '''Corrosive Fangs:'These few Fangs are outfitted with mainly heavy weapons such Plague Spitters as well using shields as a form of protection for themselves while they slowing advance into the enemy line. * '''Prince of Blades: This rank is exclusive to the 8th Company where the legionaries learn the perversions of Slaanesh, This Prince of Blades is supposed to be the pinnacle of swordsmanship. When one becomes the Prince he will dawn a Master Crafted suit of power armour known as the Flesh Cage ''and will dawn two swords known as ''Silver Heart ''and ''Merciful Lance. There have only been two Princes within the Warband, the first prince was originally part of a former Emperor's Children warband, The Prince was later killed by a member within his own warband and has since kept his title. * Shattered Bone Raptor Cult: '''This Raptor Cult originates from the Night Lords legion, this small group have proven themselves as excellent shock troops and were recruited with the promise bringing their legions hospitality to the populace of the Imperium. The Raptor Cult make their den in a makeshift room above the bridge and a large hole that connects their dwelling to the bridge. This was done so if Captain Nethiel is threaten his terminator bodyguards and the raptors can attack the threat with ease. * '''The Cacophony of Poisoned Dreams: This group is a small faction of Noise Marines within the 8th Company, the Cacophony swore allegiance to the Wraith Claws when 8th Company Captain Azeniev proved to their former warband that he was a better leader, swordsman, and follower of Slaanesh by decapitating their former leader in one clean sweep of his blade. The Cacophony and the rest of the surviving astartes pledged allegiance to Azeniev and Nethiel. * The Dust Circle: The Warband's most powerful psykers led by Captain Xarsis use their psychic gifts to learn the best possible paths for the warband. In the circle many sorcerors come from the Thousand Sons and quite a few in the Shattered Star chapter. A few Hunting Fangs have been chosen to become part of the Dust Circle. Notable Wraith Claws * Captain Nethiel "The Fallen Shard": Former captain of the Shattered Star 3rd Company, now is the leader of the Wraith Claws warband. Nethiel is a skilled swordsman wielding his master crafter power-sword ironically called "Traitor's Bane". Unlike many of his brothers within the warband Nethiel bares no mutations and has kept his noble features and golden hair. Nethiel felt betrayed and abandoned after what his original chapter called the Shattering, after learning that his brothers abandoned him and the Emperor never cared for them. * Captain Reylenor -''' Former commander of the 4th Company. Reylenor once considered captain Azeniev a close friend and brother, but after the Laughing Knight became a fanatic scion to Slaanesh and Reylenor hates him because of it and will someday kill him given the opportunity to redeem Azeniev so he remembers who he was and not what he became. Reylenor hates the chaos gods, but his khornate followers have given him the title of "Blood Son" a title he hates. Reylenor's armour is entirely red with a daemon of khorne forever bound in the armour. * '''Lord Hunter Or'narl: Or'narl is the current Alpha of the Hunting Fangs, the group of possessed astartes who work with their daemonic parasites in a symbiotic relationship. The Lord Hunter is a giant of the already extremely large Hunting Fangs, being the size of a dreadnought. The Lord Hunter's claws are sharp enough to cut through power armour with the exception being Terminator armour, two combi-bolters are fuzed into his wrists. *'Ethrankyr:' Ethrankyr is the second''' the Fangs Hierarchy, Before his apotheosis in a hunting Fang he was Chapter Champion Tarion. Tarion was a man that took pride in his duty to the Emperor and the Imperium, his armour was inscribed with numerous battle honors and many attachments placed on his war-gear. during the Shattering the event which trapped half of the Shattered Star Chapter in the warp Tarion, like many of his kin were held in placed by organic tissue where they were subjected to the worst experiences imaginable. There Tarion and his brethren were trapped for what seemed like countless aeons, the only thing that kept the Shattered Stars from breaking was their belief that their brothers and the Emperor would save them. It was after countless centuries that they collectively realized that rescue wasn't coming, that their brothers had abandoned them, that the emperor didn't care for them. When the warband emerge from the eye Tarion was no more only Ethrankyr remained. When Ethrankyr became infected with the Hunting Virus his power sword "The Dark Curse" fused into his wrists just above his hand. in his other hand he carries a custom Storm Bolter "Poisoned Belief" in his other hand. * '''Datho Harrek: '''Datho is one of two Apothecaries that are accepted in the Hunting Fangs despite not having daemonic pacts themselves, Datho and his twin Baaren hated what became of the Wraith Claws now becoming a mixture of all traitor legions and traitor chapters and so they both wandered deep into the continent size labyrinth of broken and fused ships until they walked into the den of the Fangs. Baaren prepared for death but Datho charged at the closest one, rather than killing them they admired their bravery and their need of an apothecary. Datho and Baaren are extremely valuable to the group despite being standard marines, before the apothecaries arrival becoming a Hunting Fang yielded a high mortality rate and since the induction of the apothecaries at least half of the initiates survive the process. * '''Baaren: '''Baaren is the twin of Datho, Baaren almost never leaves the company of his Hunting Fangs kin as most of them come from the ranks of the Shattered Star same as him. Baaren onced outranked his brother when they were still part of the Shattered Star * '''The Prince of Blades * Syroden Khaori: 'Khaori was a member of the Emperor's Trident but since he turned traitor his chapter has labeled him as a ''Dark Trident. ''Syroden is an outcast among outcast, many within his warband distrust him as he hasn't committed themselves to the dark gods and this has made him a target. Syroden has only the slightest trusts is with his squad and relatively few within it. * '(former) Captain Dentrien (dead)- Former commander of the 5th Company. Captain Dentrien was killed shortly after the warband entered the Eye of Terror after the Ambush in the Afil System, Captain Dentrien was torn apart by the surviving Enlightened now renamed to the Hunting Fangs and their leader the Lord Hunter Or'narl. Lord Nethiel saw Dentrien as a threat to his position as leader, Nethiel ordered the Hunting Fangs to ambush Dentrien when he was alone and then procreeded to rip the captain limb from limb. * Sergeant Heston (dead)-''' Former 1st Sergeant of 3rd company, later becoming the leader of the Enlightened, Heston later died during the ambush in the Afil System. * 'Captain Azeniev "Laughing Knight" - '''Former commander of the 8th Company, Captain Azeniev was more light-hearted compared to the rest of his brothers and chapter. Azeniev would constantly laugh and giggle even at serious events such as clan-talks, during services, and in battles. Many high ranking astartes saw no need to change his behavior no matter how much of a annoyance it was as Azeniev proved to his chapter that he was capable warrior and a man who was diligent in his duties to not only to his chapter but the Imperium. shortly after the Shattering the event that trapped half of the Shattered Star chapter in the warp, Azeniev felt the embrace of Slaanesh who then corrupted his loyalty. When he and his brothers warped back into realspace he and his brothers wanted vengeance for their abandonment and so traveled into the Eye of Terror to continue their apotheosis and new found loyalties. While in the Eye Azeniev furthered the study of Slaanesh, within the first year into the Eye Azeniev fully committed himself to Slaanesh. Currently Azeniev no longer has a light heart and his laughs no longer genuine, now he only laughs when he commits acts of agony, hedonism or when is thinking of agony. In the warband Azeniev leads the 8th Company which calls themselves the "Knights Exquisite". These Knights Exquisite are fully devoted to the Lady of Excess. * '(Former) Captain Thanik (dead)- '''Former commander of the 9th company, Thanik was always described as slow-thinking and bloodthirsty brute even before the Shattering, Captain Thanik challenged Lord Nethiel to a Death Duel for command of the Warband when the Afil System ambush was becoming more and more of a losing battle. In the end Thanik lost the duel with his head flying across the dueling cage and then becoming an example to those who would think about usurping Nethiel's throne. * '''Captain Xarsis- '''Xarsis is the current Captain of the 9th Company, the company is comprised of those who follow the Changer of Ways. Xarsis himself is a powerful psyker, his armour has formed a number of eyes scattered. the right side of his breast plate has metal feathers that covers the entire right side of his breast plate. Xarsis left arm became bigger and more muscly so much so that it couldn't be held in his armour, his unarmored skin became harder and his fingers became sharp and dangerous. Over the years Xarsis has collected powerful psykers both human and astartes as well as uncountable mutants known as Tzaangors. Many of these psykers come from the Thousand Sons legion, with these sorcerers many Rubricae are under their command. * '''Haramis Denthall: Member of the Dust Circle Warband Fleet *''The Bladed Chalice'' (Space Hulk and the main headquarters) *''The Valor'' (Battle Barge) *''The Spirit of Hatred'' (Battle Barge) *''The Purest Damnation'' (Strike Cruiser): This Strike Cruiser was originally named The Purest Hope, this Strike Cruiser was part of their original chapter since its founding. The ship was given its name when the company that used the might vessel liberated a population of humans from ork slavery, the captain was given hope of a better future for humanity when the population celebrated their freedom. When the warband finally escaped from the warp the company renamed their vessel The Purest Damnation. *''The New Truth'' (Strike Cruiser) *''The Blooded Vengeance'' (Strike Cruiser) Warband Appearance The warband appearance of the 5th Company of the Undivided is mainly dark grey with crimson arms. While other companies changed their colors to associate their god. The company that worships Slaanesh have their arms colored beautiful purple with their trim of perfect gold. The followers of Nurgle have their arm colors changed to putrid green while the followers of Khorne have the warbands colors reversed with the arms being dark grey and the rest of the armour is red. The Company of Tzeentch has their arms and legs changed to light blue with the rest of the body to dark grey. The members of the Warband that are from the original Shattered Star Chapter still follow some of their chapter traditions such as engraving wht their original Animal fortress they trained at or the practice of placing checkered patterns on their armour. Warband Relics *''The Dark Curse'' *''The Poisoned Belief'' *''Traitor's Bane: The ironically named sword belongs to the Chaos Lord Nethiel, this sword was passed down the line of captains in the 3rd Company. Now that this sword is in the hands of a traitor the current 3rd Company Captain has vowed to reclaim Traitor's Bane and slay its wielder. *Bird of Prey: This helmet is a heavily customized piece of MK:VI Corvus helmet that has the appearance of a ancient terran eagle, the vision when one dawns on the helmet the eye lenses gives the wearer thermal vision like a predatory creature. Over the centuries the helmet has become chaotically corrupted such as horns growing from the sides of the helm and small teeth around the eye lenses as if the lenses is a maw and the metal surrounding it became a mouth. *Flesh Cage'' *''Silver Heart'' *''Merciful Lance'' Warband Relations Allies *'Night Lords 81st Company:' This warband of the VIII Legion is the only ally of the Wraith Claws having fought alongside on numerous occasions. Enemies Quotes By the Wraith Claws About the Wraith Claws Category:Chaos Category:Chaos Space Marines Category:Chaos Warbands Category:Szo Selhal Category:Chaos Undivided Category:Unknown Geneseed